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BRAKES, PRESS
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Details to look for during new and used machinery inspection: Capacity Distance between housings Overall bending length Depth of throat Stroke of ram Die space, stroke down, adjustment up Strokes per minute Bed size Ram size Type of clutch ACCESSORIES Dies or tooling, gauges, lubrication system, stock support
A press brake is used for bending metal. It has a frame, bed, ram, and drive. Press brakes are designed to deliv
2. The brake is the part which carries sheet metal the full length of the ram and bed without disrupting the formin
5. The ram carries the upper blade. Its positioned on the front of the housing and maneuvers vertically. It is des
The press brake is a very versatile type of fabricating equipment. It is ideal for many metal forming operations w
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ability to deliver force in a confined longitudinal area. Any metal that can be punched or bent by other processes can be formed on a press brake. The user must make choices based on his anticipated production needs when choosing a press brake. What must be determined is the tonnage required, length of bed, bolster width, stroke length, drive system, and the control system. These choices depend on the material being used, type of operation, and the rate of output. The pressure needed to bend metal on a press brake depends on the hardness and thickness of the metal and the width of the lower die. If you increase the width of the lower die then less pressure is needed to fill it. If you decrease the width of the die then your tonnage (striking force) requirements rise dramatically. Any metal to be punched or bent can be formed on a press brake. The materials generally used on a press brake are low carbon steel, alloy steel, stainless steel, aluminum alloys, and copper alloys. Press brakes are divided into two basic categories: mechanical drive systems and hydraulic drive systems. The mechanically driven press brake has a fixed tonnage and delivers more force at the bottom of its stroke than at the halfway point. Mechanical drives will cycle its ram at more strokes per minute than a hydraulically driven system of the same size. The electric motor provides power to a flywheel which stores energy and provides speed and consistency of motion to the drive shaft on a mechanical system. Mechanical press brakes have been changed to increase output and for supplying varying ram speed within a single stroke. The ram starts at high speed from the top of the stroke and automatically changes into low speed for the operating position of the stroke. At the bottom of its stroke, the ram again transfers into high speed for its return. A control mechanism provides short, medium, and long periods of time for the ram at slow speeds. The air-friction clutch is another means of ram control on the mechanical press brakes capability. The air-friction clutch is reliable by means of expansion of a tube to force friction shoes against a center. The air-friction clutch provides a cushioning effect which extends die life. Today a press brake operator can choose the high speed process for full cycle of the ram or he can choose fast advance, low-speed bending, and high speed response of the ram. This mechanical system increases productivity because once the speed is selected, the machine will cycle automatically. Air-friction clutch systems will have a higher degree of consistency. Ram leveling is an aid to the user because it saves time in setting up the job. It is standard on most mechanical press brakes. Ram leveling is accomplished by an independent motor linked through a worm gear drive to a pair of adjusting screws inside the rods joining the drive shaft to the press slide. Tilting adjustments are completed by split couplings and clutches that release the drive on one side of the ram. A calibrated device should be furnished at each end of the ram to show the exact position of the side.
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control unit. All of the above systems are used for tilting the ram when required by the type of work. Press brake manufacturers usually offer three alternatives for widening a press brake: 1. The press brake can have a wide bolster plate and a removable angle bracket for the ram. 2. Angle brackets on both the ram and bolster plate. 3. Removable angle brackets on the ram and bolster plate. Removable angle brackets on the ram and bolster plate is usually the best choice because it offers greater flexibility. The widening of a press brake will depend on tonnage and the structure of the frame. A large press brake should be widened no more than 36 inches. If your work consists of punching and using progressive dies on wide stock in heavier tonnages then a straight side press with four-point gibbing should be considered instead of a a press brake. The straight side press will have press brake adaptability with the structural strength of a press. Ram and bed extensions add flexibility to the press brake. Extensions that are part of the original equipment are better than add-on extensions because they have the rigidity of factory installation. A press brake used for horning operations like the closing of box ends should have extensions, preferably on both sides. Its counter productive to buy a smaller press brake and add-on extensions later. It may cause deflection in areas of the bed and ram outside the housings where die shimming will be a problem.
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Selection
A user should keep the following in mind when a selecting press brake. If a machine is needed to exceed its rated tonnage periodically then a mechanical press brake may be the best choice. If a user works with dies having a high bottom section then a hydraulic press brake is recommended. Speed is an important consideration and a hydraulic press brakes doesnt cycle its ram in strokes per minute as a mechanical press brake will of the same tonnage. In the past , only mechanical press brakes were used in high production shops where product output per hour was important. Later hydraulic press brakes overcame the slower output rate by adjusting ram speed within a single stroke. A rapid speed, doubling the basic work speed, is used to do the work and withdraw the ram. Some hydraulic machines offer a third speed which is four times greater than the basic work speed. With this flexibility, the hydraulic press brake can achieve an output rate on long production runs close to comparable mechanically-driven press brakes.
Non-power inspection
The throat area in the side frames of large mechanical press brakes should bechecked for frame failure. The ram of the press brake puts great stress on the face of the throat when work to be bent is wider than the housings. The user should look for any indication of cracks, breaks, or welding to repair a break. -Check for parallelism between the bed and ram with a surface gauge. Lower the slide and zero the indicator at any point on the upper die holder and then move the gauge along the lower die holder surface. The indicator will show any deviation from parallelism. Requirements for bed-ram alignment may vary but generally deviations shouldnt exceed 0.001 inches/foot. A slide which falls considerably below this probably has a sprung frame. If the bed is bowed, dies will not match and the work wont be uniform. -Check the gibbing for visible signs of wear and excessive clearance. Excessive clearance depends on the job. Gibs should be set for a minimum clearance in blanking operations. In draw operations with dies fitted with heel blocks it is sometimes better to set the gibs loosely. The gibs should be checked closely because theyre important in maintaining slide alignment. Gibs will also indicate the overall condition of a press brake. -Examine bearings with a jack and an indicator. Use pressure on the bottom of the ram, lift it, and with an indicator find out if there is excessive wear in the machines bearings. Uncover the gear boxes and inspect the gears for broken teeth or other signs of excessive wear.
Under-power inspection
Cycle the machine and check all the controls including the inch controls. Verify what they do and what theyre supposed to do. Listen to the meshing of gears and for any grinding or grating sounds. Check for clutch slippage and any sounds in the clutch. In a hydraulic machine, look for worn hose and leaks around cylinders. Also check to make sure the work lights are working. There is no simple formula for a complete analysis of press brakes. It depends on the machinery operations involved like bending, punching, perforating, trimming, blanking, notching or other operations involving different materials. The advice and experience of your machinery dealer is invaluable in helping you make an intelligent choice.
*This is one article in a series of How to Buy Metalworking Equipment. Each article showcases and explains a particular type of metalworking machine. They were originally published in the Metalworking Machinery Mailer published by the Tade Publishing Group.
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